United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service		 Delaware Go to Accessibility Information
Skip to Page Content
 Delaware Crop Field

 

Delaware NRCS Announces Wetland Reserve Program Reverse Auction Caps

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) today announced that the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) Reverse Auction caps are $2,900 for a permanent easement and $2,175 for a 30 year easement. Landowners in Kent and Sussex counties with land in the Choptank River, Nanticoke River, Blackwater-Wicomico or Pocomoke River Watersheds have until July 15 to apply for funding through the WRP Reverse Auction Initiative.

The Wetlands Reserve Program is a voluntary program that protects, restores and enhances wetlands, while maximizing wildlife benefits. The WRP Reverse Auction Initiative will pay landowners to establish wetlands in exchange for perpetual or 30 year easements. In exchange for the easements, landowners may receive up to 100 percent of their accepted offer for the enrolled land plus the cost of approved wetland restoration practices.

“This is an excellent opportunity for landowners to take voluntary steps toward protecting Delaware’s precious wetlands and wildlife,” said Irma Hernandez, Program Specialist for the NRCS. “The use of WRP conservation easements has successfully protected millions of acres of wetlands across the country.”

To be eligible for participation, lands must be privately owned, tribal land or state, county or non-federal public lands that meet WRP eligibility criteria. The eligible land use will be wooded wetlands that have been hydrologically modified. Drainage on the land should consist mainly of site-lateral ditches. Eligible landowners should complete an environmental self assessment of the lands they wish to enroll in WRP, and submit sealed bids that are equal to or less than the geographically determined bid cap. Applications will be prioritized according to an Environmental Benefits Index (EBI) that is determined by dividing the landowner bid offer by the environmental self assessment score.

For more information about the WRP Reverse Auction Initiative, the self assessment and submitting a bid, contact either the NRCS Sussex County Field Office at (302) 856-3990 extension 3 or the NRCS Kent County Field Office at (302) 741-2600 extension 3. For more information about the NRCS please visit up on the web at www.de.nrcs.usda.gov. The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
 

 


Last Modified:  12/03/2007 10:26:07 AM